The American Academy of Pediatrics has doubled the recommended daily dose of vitamin D for children to 400 international units of vitamin D each day, up from 200 IU that had been prescribed in the past. The doctors released the new guideline and said they hoped to prevent rickets in children as well as give other health benefits with the recommended increase at a meeting in Boston this week.

Dr. Frank Greer, chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics said, "We are doubling the recommended amount of vitamin D children need each day because evidence has shown this could have life-long health benefits. Supplementation is important because most children will not get enough vitamin D through diet alone,"

Rickets, a bone softening disease in children that results in stunted growth and skeletal deformities if not corrected while the child is young is caused by a lack of vitamin D, and babies who are exclusively breast-fed are at particular risk. "Breast-feeding is the best source of nutrition for infants. However, because of vitamin D deficiencies in the maternal diet, which affect the vitamin D in a mother's milk, it is important that breast-fed infants receive supplements of vitamin D," said Dr. Carol Wagner of the physician's group, who helped write the report.

The new recommendation is aimed at not only preventing rickets but in the hope that it may also help prevent the future development of osteoporosis and other diseases and vitamin D’s  key role in preventing infections, autoimmune diseases, cancer and diabetes has been seen in research on adults.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rickets though rare in the United States has been reported in 2000 and 2001 among breast fed infants. As per the guidelines breast fed infants should receive vitamin D supplements in the first few days of life as many women do not get adequate vitamin D and there breast milk may be deficient. Non-breast-fed babies and older children who do not drink one quart per day of vitamin D fortified milk should also receive a supplement.

Sunlight is the best source of vitamin D, but this raises the risk of skin cancer and air pollution, sunscreen and clothing all limit the amount of vitamin D the body can synthesize from sunlight. Oily fish such as tuna, mackerel and sardines contain vitamin D but fortified milk is the most common source.